1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electric service for idle equipment such as locomotives, automobiles, trucks, airplanes, ships and construction equipment. Specifically, an electric service crane is described to provide power to the idle equipment for onboard equipment.
2. Prior Art Statement
When equipment is temporarily idled, onboard electric service is required to keep batteries charged, fuel from gelling and communication equipment active and/or readied for service. Typically, an electric cable is available lying on a base surface such as the ground, wood or steel decking, concrete driveways, docks or gravel paths that must be dragged to the idle equipment and connected to a service port on the idle equipment. Damage to the outer sheathing of the electric cable often occurs from movement across the base surface producing safety related handling hazards as well as frequent replacement of the cable. Therefore, there is a great need for an electric crane that elevates the mating cable connector and the cable above the base surface wherein the crane can easily be moved to position the mating cable connector at the service port on the idle equipment and remain at that position until released. The crane is capable of nearly complete rotation on a pedestal, movement from a vertical position to a near horizontal position and means to return the crane to the vertical position. The crane mount has an electric control cabinet mounted to connect and disconnect the electric service. The mating cable connector is held above the average head height of an individual when the crane is in a vertical position.
An improvement over cables lying upon a base surface is described in U.S. Design Pat. D 676,376 S issued on 19 Feb. 2013 to Yamada, et al. This design copies the typical gasoline pump model. A storage port connected to a looped cable in turn connected to a power providing device. The looped cable is stored on a pair of brackets alongside the power device. Though this improvement ostensibly keeps the cable from being dragged along the base surface, it is well known that many users are not careful in replacing the cable on the brackets and thus damage still occurs. Ergo, there is a great need for an electric service crane that maintains the electric cable above a base surface to protect the cable from damage and that also can provide electric service to many locations within a forty foot radius.
It is known to provide electric service to an airplane wherein the electric cable is located alongside the jetway and moves in concert with the jetway. The cable is reeved on the arms of the scissors extension of the jetway. Though it is convenient that the service connection for airplanes is proximate the nose of the aircraft and thus also proximate the jetway door of the aircraft, the connector and cable move only where the jetway moves and thus is not useable for other idle equipment that is not exactly positioned. It is obvious that the arm does not move with the cable connector when coupling to the airplane. Accordingly, the still exists a great need for an electric service crane that is rotatable about a pedestal and positioned by merely pulling on the connector.
It is also known to provide an automated electric vehicle storage and renting facility that has an automatic induction charging station comprising a robot to couple a charging probe to the vehicle charging port. The robot has a first arm horizontally rotatable on its upper surface, a second arm horizontally rotatably attached to one end of the first arm and the charging probe horizontally rotatably attached to the free end of the second arm. The robot arms may also be moved vertically thus giving with X, Y, Z axis motions. Finding the positioning of the vehicle is accomplished radio frequency communication with the vehicle. For instance, see the U.S. Pat. No. 6,157,162 issued on 5 Dec. 2000 to Hayashi, et al. No manual effort is needed to position the charging probe of the charging operation but the charging mechanism is costly to install, maintain and operate. Additionally, the reach of the probe is limited by the short arms and longer arms would be difficult to position easily. Therefore, the great need for a simple manually positionable electric crane still exists wherein the crane is rotatably mounted on a pedestal and is manually lowered into position by grasping and pulling on the electric connector, the electric connector attached to an elongated cable pending from the crane.
It is further known to provide an indoor automatic induction charging station comprising a probe coupled to a charging port on a vehicle by translating the probe vertically and horizontally along a vertical plane to position the probe in alignment with the charging port on the vehicle. The probe is then axially moved perpendicular to the plane into the charging port. Locating the probe in position is accomplished by photo electric detectors receiving a signal from the vehicle. For instance, see the U.S. Pat. No. 5,646,500 issued on 8 Jul. 1997 to David T. Wilson. As with Hayashi, et al., no manual effort is needed to position the charging probe of the charging operation but this charging mechanism is also costly to install, maintain and operate. To make the device large enough to service locomotives, large off road equipment or ships would require great capital outlay and require significant maintenance in these harsher environments. Therefore, the great need for a simple manually positionable electric crane still exists wherein the crane is rotatably mounted on a pedestal and is manually lowered into position by grasping and pulling on the electric connector thus tipping the crane toward the operator, wherein a proof circuit is included to ensure that proper electric connection is made between the service port on the idle equipment and the mating cable connector.
Likewise, it is known to provide a system of providing power to electric vehicles has a plurality of docking stations controlled by an electronic coordinator through the internet. The docking stations have a jointed probe for X, Y, Z motions that is terminated with a coupling device. The coupling may be physical, magnetic or optic, the latter two transmitting power by induction. Power to the system comes from the grid but the controller may provide power from connected EV's to the grid if needed. For instance, see the U.S. Pat. No. 8,473,131 B2 issued on 25 Jun. 2013 to Kevin Walter Leary. The device is similar to Hayashi, et al., except that the articulated arms move in vertical planes as opposed to horizontal planes and thus has the same limitations of reach of the probe because of the necessarily short arms. It is therefore obvious that the need for a simple manually operated electric service crane with significant reach is still needed. Specifically, the electric service crane is located in limited space yet still has a long reach to be able to service idle equipment within a forty foot radius.
Further known is a system wherein a capacitor is charged at each vehicle station by local power. When a vehicle such as a bus stops at the station, power is transferred to the vehicle by induction or physical contact and stored in a second capacitor on the vehicle. A battery is also kept charged as excess power as the on board capacitor flows through to the battery. The on board battery and/or capacitor of the vehicle may also charge by regenerative braking Transfer of power is completed in 5 to 25 seconds at 400-800 volts and 500 amps. The vehicle usually charges at each station and receives enough power to get to the next station. For instance, see the U.S. Pat. No. 8,400,106 B2 issued on 19 Mar. 2013 to Midrouillet, et al. Though useful for short term usage such as getting to the next charging station, this device would not work well for auxiliary power for idle equipment as a continuous source of energy is needed. Accordingly, the need for a simple, manually operated electric service crane is still present. More specifically, an electric crane capable of reaching idle equipment within forty feet with a manually connected connector is greatly needed.
A charging shelter is provided with a plurality of cable reels for providing charging power to vehicles. Solar power is the primary source for the charging shelter. For instance, see the U.S. Pat. No. 8,143,841 issued on 27 Mar. 2012 to David J. Gochenaur. The vehicle requiring power must be at the position of the cable reel as the cable on the reel is relatively short. Furthermore, the cable on the cable reel is limited by the small cable reels as the cable must be small in diameter to reel easily. Consequently, there is a significant need for a simple electric service crane that can be tipped from a vertical position to a desired angle, held in that position by an arresting device, rotated about a pedestal to position an electric service connector proximate a service port on an idle vehicle.
It is now known to charge an electric vehicle by wheeled probes extending from a ceiling of a garage or the like. The top of the vehicle has contacts on the roof surface to receive the wheeled probes. A switch may be provided in the vehicle for stopping the charging operation. For instance, see the U.S. Pat. No. 4,158,802 issued on 19 Jun. 1979 to William R. Rose II. Alignment of the vehicle to the charging station is critical and thus the process of charging is limited to a single location so a substantial need exists for a charging location that can provide electric service to any one of multiple idle vehicles within a forty foot radius of a charging pedestal wherein the pedestal carries a long arm crane with a long electric cable pending from the tip of the crane arm.
Applicants are aware of methods to provide electric service to electric vehicles with a design similar to a typical gasoline pump. A storage port is connected to a looped cable in turn connected to a power providing device. The looped cable is stored on a pair of brackets alongside the power device. For instance see the U.S. Design Pat. D 676,376 S issued on 19 Feb. 2013 to Yamada, et al. Dragging the cable over the base surface is still present with this apparatus as nothing supports the cable above the base surface. Accordingly, there is still a great need for an electric service boom that supports the connector above a base surface while still providing sufficient reach to service any one of many vehicles from a single port disposed between two vehicle paths wherein the electrical service boom is returned to an upright vertical position upon actuation of a release mechanism.
Finally, it is known to provide a fueling crane for fueling locomotives at a fueling station alongside an active track. For instance, see the U.S. Pat. No. 6,732,770 issued on 11 May 2004 and 6,948,538 B1 issued on 27 Sep. 2005 issued to Nusbaumer, et al. Fuel is pumped through an upright attached to a base, through a rotary coupling to permit the fuel crane to rotate relative to the base, through a second rotary coupling allowing the articulated boom of the fueling crane to pivot downwardly, through the articulated boom to a nozzle disposed at the end of the articulated boom. Multiple seals are required to prevent fuel from escaping at every moving joint. The articulated boom has means to return the boom to the upright position but retains a tension on the boom while the nozzle is locked to a locomotive fuel tank. Therefore, there is a need for an electric service crane that retains a given position once deployed without putting a tension on the electric service cable or its connector. Additionally, the need for an electric service crane that elevates the electric service cable above the ground surface is still present.